Mon cher Monsieur Reeve,--Un de mes amis va partir pour la Belgique. Je tiens a en profiter pour lui confier une lettre a votre adresse, qu'il mettra a la poste chez nos voisins. En effet, je connais par experience I'indiscretion dont la poste francaise a pris la mauvaise habitude sous l'Empire, habitude qu'elle n'a pas perdue sous la Republique. J'ai hate de vous remercier de votre lettre du lr qui m'a vivement interesse. J'ai ete un peu confus d'apprendre l'usage que vous aviez fait de la mienne, car je l'avais ecrite au courant de la plume, et uniquement pour me donner le plaisir de causer avec vous. Mais, puisque vous l'avez trouvee bonne a montrer, je m'en rapporte a votre amitie, et j'espere qu'elle n'a pas ete trop indulgente. Je suis d'ailleurs fort heureux d'avoir quelquefois, par votre intermediaire, des relations avec Lord Salisbury, pour le caractere et le talent duquel j'ai toujours eu une si haute estime, et que j'aime d'ailleurs toujours a considerer comme mon proche voisin de campagne. The success of the Conservatives in the towns, their defeat in the country, is the very opposite of what is taking place here; so that we foreigners must exercise great reserve in giving an opinion on the political situation created in England by these last elections. It is, however, evident that there, as everywhere else, the old parties are in process of disintegration, and that, in a new social state, in presence of new problems, a new distribution of parties is called for. In the history of all nations there are periods when the need of political progress renders it necessary for the reformers to remain long in power; and if from time to time they yield it to their adversaries, it should only be for long enough to recover breath in climbing the long ascent. On the other hand, there are also periods when the wearied people long for repose; when progress no longer aims at completeness, but at change; when reforms are mere Utopian fancies or appeals to evil passions; and when the partisans of the _status quo_ ought to have the direction of affairs for as long a time as possible. I believe that we are now entering on one of these periods. But it becomes the duty of the Conservatives to defend existing institutions by taking the initiative in such modifications as may be necessary. This is what, with a true political insight, they have always done in England. The vote of the counties does not affect the justice of your appreciation of the general character of the elections. It is not a return to the old Tory party, but rather the condemnation of the Radical programme; and from this point of view they have an international importance which nothing can weaken. All the same, this vote of the counties seems to me to render absolutely necessary the modification of parties which the complete success of the Ministry would have postponed. After the redistribution of seats, there is need of a redistribution of persons and of political groupings. Either